


Like We Always Do

by JewishDavidJacobs



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Camping, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:54:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24667219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JewishDavidJacobs/pseuds/JewishDavidJacobs
Summary: Jack drags Davey along on a camping trip. The absolute last thing Davey wants to do? Go on a camping trip.
Relationships: David Jacobs/Jack Kelly
Comments: 4
Kudos: 56





	Like We Always Do

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-posted on tumblr.

“Why did I agree to this again?” 

“Because you love me. Here,” Jack said, taking a bag from Davey, “I’ll take that. Don’t try to carry so much at once, you’ll hurt yourself.” Jack took one more bag from the back of Mush’s dad’s pickup and followed Davey to where he was setting the bags down. 

“I hate the outdoors.”

“You’re thinking about being an environmental scientist, dumbass.”

Davey rolled his eyes and sighed. 

“I hate the outdoors  _ at night.” _

__ “You’re also thinking about being an astronomer. You can’t be an astronomer if you’re not out when the stars are.”

“Actually, the stars are always out, we just can’t always see them,” he corrected.

“I’m not an idiot.”

“Besides, astronomers don’t camp every night and if they do, I don’t want to be one.” 

“Help me get the tent and quit complaining.”

“I’ll help you but only if you let me complain.”

“Fine,” Jack said with an eye roll, “but I’m still gonna complain about your complaining.”

“Seems only fair.” 

They each took one end of the bag containing the tent and pulled until it was off the bed of the truck. They lugged it over to the fire pit and Davey tried to set it down but Jack insisted it went on the other side. He wasn’t sure if it was worth the glare he got from his fiancé.

“What’s your problem, anyway? I know you like being outside. You’re constantly making me go hiking.”

“I just don't like the idea of sleeping outside, okay? It’s…houses were invented for a reason!”

“So was bear spray.”

“The mere fact that you need bear spray to sleep out here is proof enough that we shouldn’t be doing it.”

“Look, this is practice, all right? For sharing a house.”

“This is  _ not  _ what it’s going to be like to share a house. You’re officially banned from everything to do with real estate for the rest of our lives.” 

“Hey.” Jack temporarily stopped unpacking the tent and went over to where Davey was leaning against the truck, sulking. He put his hands on his shoulders. “What’s going on? You seem more tense than usual and that’s saying something. If you really don’t want to be here we can go.” 

Davey shook his head and put his head in his hands for a second. 

“No, let’s stay. Sorry, I’m just being stupid.”

“Nothing that makes you feel this way is stupid, okay? Now tell me what’s happening.”

“I’m…”

“Dave, are you scared of camping?” Davey pulled him into a hug and buried his head in Jack’s shoulder. “Oh, baby, you should have said something.” Jack rubbed his back. “Why didn’t you?” He felt Davey shrug. 

“I’m not…I don’t know. I’m not  _ scared,  _ really. I know nothing’s going to happen.”

“Logic and fear having nothing to do with each other.” 

Davey snorted. 

“You sound like a therapist. You sound like  _ my  _ therapist.”

“Well, she’d probably say I’m right, wouldn’t she?” Davey shrugged again. “What are you afraid of?”

“I’m not sure. It’s just…you’re in more danger camping than you are not camping. Five people die of snakebites on camping trips each year. Seventy-three people in the U.S. were killed by mammals excluding dogs this year - I’d be willing to bet several of those were on camping trips. You’re at a higher risk of being struck by lightning in a tent. In a five year period five hundred and three people were killed by their tents.”

Jack pulled back, hands still on Davey’s shoulders, to look at him. 

“Did you do research?” Davey nodded reluctantly. “Baby, why would you- never mind. Listen to me: there are no poisonous-”

“Venomous.”

“Fine, venomous snakes around here. No animal is going to kill us, it isn’t going to rain tonight, and we’re not stupid enough to be killed by a tent, okay?”

“Men are three times more likely to die in national parks than women.”

“Yeah, that’s because men are stupid.” Davey laughed. “And good thing we’re not in a national park.” He kissed his fiancé’s forehead. “I love you and I’m not going to let anything happen to you, but if you want to go home we can go home, okay?”

“No, I…I can stay.”

“It won’t bother me.”

“If I can’t spend one night with you in the woods then my parents…”

“Your parents what?” Jack asked with concern.

“You know how they’re being. They think we’re too young to be engaged and if I’m not mature enough to do this, then I’m definitely not mature enough to get married.” 

“Dave, you know I love you, right?” He nodded. “Okay, so you know that I say this with love: that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard in my life.”

“Jack!”

“No, it is. First of all, there are plenty of married people afraid of camping. Second, it has nothing to do with maturity. And third, I thought we agreed they were wrong about this. Are you having second thoughts?”

“No!” Davey said adamantly. “No, never. I know they’re wrong but it’s hard because if I didn’t respect their opinion in general I’d just say they were stupid or something and write it off but that’s not how it is.

“And it’s not like they don’t like you - they love you! You’ve been my best friend since we were eleven and twelve and they basically see you as another son. They don’t hate you, they aren’t homophobic, and they’re the smartest people I know so why can’t they just support us?”

Jack gave him a sad, sweet smile and a soft kiss. 

“They  _ do  _ support us, Dave. They were worried at first, sure, but it’s been months and ever since then they’ve been onboard. They know we’re it for each other and it’s not like we’re getting married yet, right? We’ve got four years of college to get through first.”

Davey sighed and leaned forward so that the top of his head was up against Jack’s shoulder. Jack adjusted them so they were in a hug again. 

“I’m sorry. You know how much I value their opinion but I’m being stupid. I can’t believe I just complained that my parents aren’t homophobic. I’m awful.”

Jack chuckled.

“That wasn’t what you were doing, sweetheart, and you’re not awful. Look, I get it. Well, okay, I don’t because I never had a relationship like that but I understand that you do. Why don’t you talk to them when we get back, yeah?”

“About what?”

“About how you’re feeling. Tell them you’re worried that they think you’re making a bad choice.”

“But what if they say they are?”

“And what, that’s better than worrying about it forever?”

“No, but it’s like Schrödinger's cat. I’d rather it be both at once than definitively the option I don’t want.”

“It won’t be. Call Sarah and she’ll tell you the same thing, by the way. Your parents love you more than anything and will always support you no matter what, okay?” 

“Okay. I’m sorry I’m being like this.”

“Don’t be. I always want to hear about how you’re feeling because guess what? Your parents and I have something in common: we all love you more than anything.” He turned his head and kissed the side of Davey’s. 

“I love you more than anything too. I didn’t want to ruin the trip for you.”

“You didn’t. Are you sure you don’t want to go home? Your parents won’t care and neither will I.”

“No. No, I want to stay.”

“Okay. But if you want to leave we can leave - just say the word, no matter when.” Davey pulled back completely and stared at him, smiling slightly. “What?”

“Nothing, you’re just…amazing.” He leaned in and kissed Jack. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Come on, you can teach me how to set up the tent.” Davey started walking back towards it. 

“I can just do it.”

“Yeah, but I should know for next time.”

“Next time?” 

Davey turned around. 

“Well, duh. What, you think I’m never going to do your favorite thing again? Don’t be stupid, Jack.”

“There’s nothing wrong with not doing something you’re afraid of.”

“I know, but I have you to protect me,” he teased. Jack smiled.

“Fine, but if we’re in danger from a  _ person _ \- I’m talking now or home invasion or whatever - you’re protecting me. Not all of us can be black belts.”

“Then we’ll protect each other, like we always do.” 

“Yeah. Like we always do.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed. Please let me know what you think! My tumblr is @JewishDavidJacobs.


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